


Sugar, Honey, and A Little Something Else

by FreshBrains



Category: Disney Animated Fandoms, Princess and the Frog (2009)
Genre: Baking, Comfort, Dessert & Sweets, Established Relationship, F/F, POV Tiana, Secret Santa
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-30
Updated: 2014-12-30
Packaged: 2018-03-04 07:57:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,235
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3018248
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FreshBrains/pseuds/FreshBrains
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>For all Tiana loved Lottie to bits and pieces, Lottie had never picked up a wooden spoon in her life, unless it was to taste Tiana’s gumbo or crepe batter.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Sugar, Honey, and A Little Something Else

**Author's Note:**

  * For [TheMockingDahila](https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheMockingDahila/gifts).



> For the [First Annual MOGII Disney Secret Santa](http://disneyfemslash.tumblr.com/post/102808795883/note-all-related-posts-will-be-tagged) over on Tumblr. This gift is for [mockeryd](http://mockeryd.tumblr.com/), and their prompt that I chose was: _Tiana/Lottie - something cute involving cupcakes._
> 
> I hope you enjoy, mockeryd! Happy Holidays!

Since Tiana’s Place had a kitchen big enough to bake ten cakes at once and enough pantry space for a dozen more, Tiana never found the need for a big kitchen in her and Lottie’s house.  Sure, it was a fancy place, swankier than Tiana ever thought she’d live in—Big Daddy was the one at fault for spoiling his only daughter, anyways—but the kitchen was small and clean, utilitarian in the best way.  It was perfect for a quiet cup of coffee on Sunday mornings or a basket of pralines for when Mama stopped by.

So when Tiana got home from helping the staff with inventory, she was more than surprised to smell burnt sugar in the air and hear the magnificent clatter of pots and pans coming from their little kitchen.

“Cheese and _crackers_ ,” Lottie yelled, voice breaking at the end as something made of glass smashed onto the floor. 

Tiana frowned and hurried to take off her coat and hat before rushing into the kitchen.  “What in the world is going on in here?”  She halted on her heels and sneezed as a puff of powdered sugar caught her right in the face.  Through the white haze, she saw Lottie, standing at the counter on a stool with a giant bag of sugar tipped over Tiana’s largest wooden mixing bowl.  “Lottie?  Baby?”

Lottie whipped around, her blonde curls slapping her red cheeks.  “Oh, hey, sugar!”  She glanced down, giggling nervously.  “Get it?  Sugar?”

Tiana raised an eyebrow, trying not to let a smile crawl onto her lips.  “I get it.  But what are you exactly _doing_ with the sugar?”

Lottie sighed, dropping the bag onto the counter with a _poof_.  More sugar filtered into the air, making it taste sweet.  “Well, isn’t that just the question.  Why don’t we start over here?”  She hopped off the stool, her pink heels clicking on the floor, and strode over to the stovetop, where what looked like lumps of coal rested on a dessert tray.  “I fell asleep reading the _The Times_ and the lemon cakes burned up like _that_.” She snapped her fingers in the sticky air. 

“I can see that,” Tiana said, poking at the charred lumps. 

“I know,” Lottie agreed with a sad sigh.  “And then my first batch of frosting turned out like _this_.” She held up another mixing bowl filled with a gooey red liquid, not unlike blood.  “I dropped the food coloring on the floor.”  She pointed down at the mess of red dye and glass.  “I’m real sorry about that.”

“My lord, Lottie,” Tiana grimaced, dipping her finger into the concoction.  “What did you do to it?”

Lottie set her teeth in a grimacing smile, trying to look cute to appease Tiana.  It only worked a little.  “Remember how you used to use beet juice in your red velvet cakes to make them real nice ‘an pretty-colored?”

Tiana widened her eyes.  “How much juice did you use?”

Lottie giggled, whirling back towards the stove, her pink sheer skirts swishing around her ankles.  “Only three or four beet’s worth.”

Tiana shuddered, wiping the frosting away on her apron before grabbing the broom out of the closet next to the stove.  “Lottie, not that I even want or _need_ to know, but how come you decided to bake cupcakes this afternoon, anyways?”  For all she loved Lottie to bits and pieces, Lottie had never picked up a wooden spoon in her life, unless it was to taste Tiana’s gumbo or crepe batter.

Lottie huffed out a sigh and hopped onto the sugar-covered counter, her chubby legs kicking against the cabinets.  “Oh, Tia, I thought it was a such a good idea.  I visited Mama for a recipe and went to the market and it _still_ all went to poop.”

“Aw, come on, Lottie,” Tiana said, pulling Lottie into a tight hug.  “It isn’t all bad.  You’re still working on _this_ , right?” She glanced at the bag of flour and bowl on the counter.  The bowl was filled to the brim with sugar, leaving no room for anything else.

“I tried again at the frosting,” Lottie murmured into Tiana’s shoulder.  “I think I used too much powdered sugar, huh?”

“Maybe a little,” Tiana laughed, pulling away from the hug.  She grabbed Lottie’s hands, pressing their palms together.  “I thought you were going to the dress shops today, then to Big Daddy’s to help plan his birthday.”

“Oh, I did all that,” Lottie said, flippantly, blowing a curl away from her sweaty cheek.  “And I wore that real nice dress Mama made me for Christmas last year, the one with the pink sash?”

Tiana grinned.  That described most of Lottie’s dresses.  But she knew which one Lottie was talking about—a tight one, a new style, made of pink silk the color of tea roses and lined in white lace around the bust.  She and Mama worked together to design it for Lottie’s Christmas present.  “Sure, I know that dress.  Go on.”

“And a real nice lady shopping told me I was pretty as a picture, and I felt so darned cute after that, and I love my dress so much, and I just thought,” she paused, nibbling on her lip, “I should do something for you once in a while.  You and Mama treat me so nice and all I do is make messes and drink too much champagne at parties.”

Tiana felt a little tug in her chest.  “Now hold on a second.  That isn’t true at all.  That isn’t what love is about anyways, silly.  You don’t have to do anything but be my Lottie.”

Lottie pouted and shrugged, crossing her arms over her ample chest.  “You always said food is about love.  So I wanted to make you some lovin’ cupcakes and they turned out to be lovin’ _bricks_.”

“Hop on off there and come here,” Tiana said, tugging Lottie off the counter.  She pulled her into her arms again, letting Lottie’s soft skin and the smell of her lilac perfume overtake her—the smell of love and laughter and home.  “You’re the funniest, most warm-hearted person I’ve ever met.  You taught me how to play the piano and make paper flowers, and you always know I like waking up with a kiss, and nobody else can rub my feet after a long day’s work like you.  You’ve been nothin’ but perfect, Lottie.”  She pressed a kiss beneath Lottie’s ear, Lottie’s pink crystal earring bumping her cheek.  “Got it?”

“Oh, Tia,” Lottie sighed, hugging back.  “I got it real good.”  She leaned back and grinned, closing her eyes and puckering her lips for a kiss, which Tiana eagerly gave.  “Now, want to help me salvage this here frosting?”

“I think the frosting might be done for,” Tiana said, looping her arm around Lottie’s waist.  “But why don’t you save the sugar in a bowl and I’ll put it over some beignets later, and maybe some crème brulee?”

“Ooh,” Lottie squealed in excitement, “and pecan pie tomorrow?”

“I know the way to my girl’s heart,” Tiana laughed.

“Love you bunches, sugar,” Lottie said, swatting Tiana on the backside before going to work on the baking mess. 

Later, Tiana would find a powdered-sugar handprint on the bottom of her green dress.  She vowed to get Lottie back the next time they were in their tiny, loving little kitchen together.


End file.
